LEGO Ninjago

LEGO Ninjago

Ninjago is LEGO's own story world rather than a licensed one, built around a team of ninja each with a colour and an element, which is the detail that matters when buying for a child who already watches the series: they will have a favourite character, and the set is chosen by who is in it as much as by what it builds. Kai is red and fire, Lloyd green, Zane white and ice, and Arin is among the newer additions. Beyond character, the sets divide by build type. Dragons are the showpiece models, larger and posable, and usually the ones a child asks for by name. Mechs are humanoid battle suits with articulated limbs, sitting mid-range in size and price. Battle packs are the smallest and cheapest entry point, supplying a few minifigures and a small build, which makes them good for adding characters to a collection rather than as a standalone gift. Vehicles and pull-back cars are the quickest builds. Anniversary sets are worth flagging as collector items rather than play sets. As with all LEGO, check the age marking on the box, and note that sets combine freely, so a dragon and a battle pack bought together give more play than either alone.

LEGO supplies the range. Dragons cover Rontu the Master Dragon and Lloyd's Green Forest Dragon. Mechs and battle sets cover Zane's Battle Suit Mech, Arin's Spinjitzu Battle Mech, Kai's Dragon Mech Battle Pack and the Dragon Spinjitzu Battle Pack. Vehicles cover Lloyd's Pull-Back Race Car and Ninja Cole's Car. The 15th Anniversary range covers a Ninja Character Display and a Ninja Charger, with a Dragons Rising transforming set completing the collection. For other themes see LEGO City and LEGO Friends.